In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Dready got a job to do
And he's got to fulfill that mission
To see his hurt is their greatest ambition, yeah!
But we will survive in this world of competition
'Cause no matter what they do
Natty keep on comin' through
And no matter what they say
Natty do them every day, yeah!
Natty dread rides again
Through the mystics of tomorrow
Natty dread rides again
Have no fear, have no sorrow, yeah!
All and all you see a-gwan
Is to fight against Rastaman
So they build their world in great confusion
To force on us the devil's illusion
But the stone that the builder refuse
Shall be the head cornerstone
And no matter what game they play
We got something they could never take away
We got something they could never take away
And it's the fire (fire), it's the fire (fire)
That's burning down everything
Feel that fire (fire), the fire (fire)
Only the birds have their wings, yeah!
No time to be deceived
Oh, brothers, you should know and not believe
Jah say this judgement, it could never be with water
No water could put out this fire (fire)
This fire (fire), this fire (fire)
This fire (fire), a yaga y'all! ride, natty, ride!
Go there, dready, go there,
'Cause now the fire is out of control
Panic in the city, wicked weeping for their gold!
Everywhere this fire is burning,
Destroying and melting their gold,
Destroying and wasting their souls
Go ride, natty, ride!
Go there, dready, go there!
Tell you what now the people gather on the beach
And the leader try to make a speech
But the dreadies understandin' that it's too late
Fire is burning
Man, pull your own weight!
Fire is burning
Man, pull your own weight!
Natty dread rides again (natty dread rides again)
And me say, go there, dready! Go there! (go there, go there)
Oh ride, natty, ride! (dread rides again)
And go there, dready! (go there, go there)
Ridin' through the storm,
Riding through the calm (go there, go there)
Oh ride, natty, ride!
Go there, dready, go there!
Ride, natty, ride!
Go there, dready, do there!
And he's got to fulfill that mission
To see his hurt is their greatest ambition, yeah!
But we will survive in this world of competition
'Cause no matter what they do
Natty keep on comin' through
And no matter what they say
Natty do them every day, yeah!
Natty dread rides again
Through the mystics of tomorrow
Natty dread rides again
Have no fear, have no sorrow, yeah!
All and all you see a-gwan
Is to fight against Rastaman
So they build their world in great confusion
To force on us the devil's illusion
But the stone that the builder refuse
Shall be the head cornerstone
And no matter what game they play
We got something they could never take away
We got something they could never take away
And it's the fire (fire), it's the fire (fire)
That's burning down everything
Feel that fire (fire), the fire (fire)
Only the birds have their wings, yeah!
No time to be deceived
Oh, brothers, you should know and not believe
Jah say this judgement, it could never be with water
No water could put out this fire (fire)
This fire (fire), this fire (fire)
This fire (fire), a yaga y'all! ride, natty, ride!
Go there, dready, go there,
'Cause now the fire is out of control
Panic in the city, wicked weeping for their gold!
Everywhere this fire is burning,
Destroying and melting their gold,
Destroying and wasting their souls
Go ride, natty, ride!
Go there, dready, go there!
Tell you what now the people gather on the beach
And the leader try to make a speech
But the dreadies understandin' that it's too late
Fire is burning
Man, pull your own weight!
Fire is burning
Man, pull your own weight!
Natty dread rides again (natty dread rides again)
And me say, go there, dready! Go there! (go there, go there)
Oh ride, natty, ride! (dread rides again)
And go there, dready! (go there, go there)
Ridin' through the storm,
Riding through the calm (go there, go there)
Oh ride, natty, ride!
Go there, dready, go there!
Ride, natty, ride!
Go there, dready, do there!
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this song is about the Plight of The Rastaman, many have tried to stop the rasta man but to no avail. RIDE NATTY RIDE!
R.I.P. Robert Nesta Marley
sweet music and melody
Only the birds have their wings, yeah
"Oh, brothers, you should know and not believe" phrase what strikes me most. Bob is pure!
This song also shows Old Testament influences in the Rasta faith as well as Bob's Catholic upbringing with verses like "The stone that builder refuse shall become the head cornerstone" which is basically Psalm 118:22. Even the word JAH for God is seen in Pslams 68:4 in the King James Version. This song also references the destruction on Babylon.
This song is taking about how the natty dreads (rastas) have a job to do... and that job is overthrowing the babylon system!!!!
Great energy in this song!
The line that goes "Go deh, dready, go deh" just sound so cute. It makes me happy.